Tycho SN 1572: A Naked Ia Supernova Remnant without Associated Ambient Molecular Cloud

TL;DR

This study uses radio and gamma-ray data to show that the Tycho SN 1572 supernova remnant is not interacting with any molecular cloud, supporting its classification as an isolated Type Ia supernova remnant.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive analysis ruling out molecular cloud interaction with Tycho SN 1572 using HI and CO data, clarifying its environment and origin.

Findings

No molecular cloud interaction detected

Supports the classification of SN 1572 as an isolated Type Ia remnant

Gamma-ray emission likely not from SNR-cloud interaction

Abstract

The historical supernova remnant (SNR) Tycho SN 1572 originates from the explosion of a normal Type Ia supernova which is believed to have originated from a carbon-oxygen white dwarf in a binary system. We analyze the 21cm continuum, HI and 12CO-line data from the Canadian Galactic Plane Survey in the direction of SN 1572 and surrounding region. We construct HI absorption spectra to SN 1572 and three nearby compact sources. We conclude that SN 1572 has no molecular cloud interaction, which argues against previous claims that a molecular cloud is interacting with the SNR. This new result does not support a recent claim that dust, newly detected by AKARI, originates from such a SNR-cloud interaction. We suggest that the SNR has a kinematic distance of 2.5 - 3.0 kpc based on a nonlinear rotational curve model. Very-high-energy Gamma-ray emission from the remnant has been detected by the VERITAS telescope, so our result shows that its origin should not be an SNR-cloud interaction. Both radio and X-ray observations support that SN 1572 is an isolated Type Ia SNR.